


A Promise Kept

by Eilera



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: All Shiros are Beautiful, Angst, Drama, Fix-It, Fluff, Kuron Deserves More Than What He Got, M/M, Romance, post-season 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 06:42:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15189056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eilera/pseuds/Eilera
Summary: “Shiro, this body is yours.”“No,” Shiro said emphatically, shaking his head. Kuro could feel his hair tickle the side of his neck. “It was yours and I took it. I’m sorry.I’m sorry.”Kuro’s body trembled, and he tightened his grip on the back of Shiro’s shirt. “You were just taking back what was stolen from you. Fair’s fair.” He whispered.Shiro’s body stiffened. “It’s not. I’m going to fix it.” He said with resolve. “I’ll bring you back.”





	A Promise Kept

**Author's Note:**

> I'M FIXING IT, OKAY? I can't stand what happened to Kuron in season 6. He deserved so much more than he got. Plus, I love these two together so much so I had to do something. All Shiros are beautiful and I love and cherish them all. 
> 
> I know this pairing isn't super popular and it's a damn shame. But that's okay, I'll keep posting for them. Join me, friends!
> 
> Special thanks to [DeathByStorm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeathByStorm/works) for beta'ing as usual.

Shiro couldn't sleep.

He let out a quiet sigh so that he wouldn't wake up the others sleeping around him. They’d stopped on another planet, one largely uninhabited, according to the lion’s sensors. As much as he wanted to get to Earth so they could prepare for the coming battles, it was nice to take a chance to just…breathe.

Shiro was still so tired. It was strange to even _feel_ exhaustion after all that time with Black. He didn’t have a physical body then. He hadn’t ever felt the need to sleep or eat. Now, he felt hungry all the time. Perhaps he was just making up for when-

When he was dead.

Shiro shivered, burrowing deeper into the makeshift sleeping bag. He’d had time to come to grips with it. He’d thought he’d never be able to get back to them. He’d been forced to watch as his clone took his place. At first, he’d been so scared for the others, knowing what Kuron was. He and Black had fought against him, refusing to let the imposter pilot her.

Then Kuron had broken down and begged Black to let him help the others. Shiro had felt it then, Kuron’s earnest desire to protect his fellow paladins. His family.

Kuron was just like Shiro.

It'd hurt to let him have it, knowing it would further cement the idea in everyone’s heads that Kuron was Shiro. No one would stop to wonder what had happened to him. No one would be looking for him. He'd sealed his own fate.

He’d known long ago he would do anything for his family.

So, he let him have it. He'd watched him take off, time and time again, fighting the fight that Shiro should have been fighting. Saving the people Shiro should have been saving.

Living the life Shiro should have been living.

Shiro sighed again, rolling over onto his side. He couldn’t deny that he was happy to be back with his family. He'd missed them all so, so much. He thought he’d never get to be around them again, that he’d just watch from the sidelines as they continued on without him.

He was happy.

Except he wasn't.

Eating up the excitement was a yawning chasm of guilt. It grew, inch by inch, every time he saw himself in a mirror. Every time he felt cloth against his skin. Every time he ate.

This body wasn’t his, not really. He'd stolen it. Stolen it from a man that had just been trying his hardest to _help_ , despite everything. Despite the pain and control being forced on him every minute of every day. That kind of stress would have broken a weaker man but Kuron…

Shiro clenched his eyes shut. He just wanted to sleep and stop thinking for awhile. Maybe then he would actually start to feel like he was getting some rest. He was so, so tired…

Shiro opened his eyes to darkness so absolute he wondered if he might be back in Black. His heart hammered in his chest. What was happening?

He didn’t want to go back.

“Shiro,” a voice murmured at his side.

Shiro turned to look and was met with a mirror image of himself. He blinked. No, not a mirror. Shiro’s hair was white now. This man…

“Kuron?” he whispered.

Kuron gave him a small smile. “I’m here.”

Shiro looked around, unable to comprehend where they were as the inky blackness stretched around them. “Where are we?”

“You’re sleeping. I could see you were struggling with that. Thought I could help you out.”

Shiro frowned, turning back to his clone. “How?”

Kuron's smile turned somber. “I’m still here.” He said carefully, gently tapping Shiro’s forehead. “Allura just…uploaded you overtop of me.”

Shiro felt a new kind of horror seep deep into his bones, leaving him cold. Kuron was, what? Trapped in Shiro’s head? That was worse than being stuck in Black, that was-

“Hey,” Kuron called out, gently placing a hand on Shiro's shoulder. The touch was warm, like an open fire on a cold winter’s night. “Its okay. You’re where you’re meant to be.”

Shiro looked at him. His skin felt too tight, too hyper sensitive to even the slightest touch. “We're both meant to be with them.”

Kuron shook his head. “Not after what I did.”

“What you were _forced_ to do. Don’t forget, I know what that’s like. There’s a difference, even if it’s hard to see sometimes.”

Kuron blinked slowly, eyes wide before giving him a broken smile. “Can we just-” He paused, taking a deep, steadying breath. “Let’s just set all of that aside for now. This is supposed to be rest time.” He admonished, giving Shiro a mock stern look.

The tension bled out of Shiro’s shoulders. He looked around the darkness. “Kind of hard to relax when you’re surrounded by nothingness.”

Kuron’s smile was bright enough to light up the inky blackness. “I can take care of that.”

Slowly, carefully, stars started to wink into existence across the black sky. After a moment, Shiro realized he recognized it and his breath stuttered in his throat.

“The Milky Way.” He said softly, eyes bright.

“I hope I got it right. It’s been awhile.” Kuron murmured, grabbing Shiro’s hand. He pulled the white-haired man towards a tree that had suddenly sprouted from the ground and yanked him down to sit beside him underneath its large branches.

Shiro and Kuron stared up at the twinkling stars, pointing out constellations here and there. Shiro hadn’t felt this comfortable in a long, long time. Kuron’s body was warm next to his, familiar and soft. Shiro took him in, watching that familiar face gaze up at the sky in wonder. The same kind of wonder Shiro often felt when faced with the vastness of space. Even now, after all this time, it was mesmerizing.

“Kuron-“ He started, but stopped when the other man cut him off.

“I’d rather not be called that.” He whispered, eyes darting over to Shiro before glancing away. He seemed almost shy.

Shiro took in the nervous tilt of his shoulders. “Then we’ll give you a real name.”

Kuron looked over at him, eyes wide. “What?”

“Something just for you.” Shiro said, bumping his shoulder into his clone’s. “Not many people get that luxury so use it wisely.”

Kuron snorted, looking back up into the sky. After a moment, he reached out to Shiro and ran his fingers through his hair.  Shiro’s heart skipped a beat.

“You really are ‘Shiro’ now.” Kuron said, smile soft. “I guess I’ll be Kuro.”

Shiro blinked and the black landscape, the stars and Kuro’s smile disappeared. He looked around, taking in the sleeping forms of his team and the two suns rising through the clouds. Shiro reached up to his hair, touching the spot Kuro had just moments ago.

It still felt warm.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Kuro stared out into darkness.

The constant, inky blackness was his world now. The only thing in this landscape that shone was himself, a strange ethereal glow that surrounded him at all times. It was both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes, when the shadows felt like they were closing in, he would close his eyes and pretend he was just resting. That if he opened his eyes he’d see the stars, the clouds. His family.

He was disappointed every time.

The constant darkness was slowly driving him insane but taking the time to add light and other effects was draining. He did his best to only do it sparingly, when he couldn’t take it anymore. The exhaustion terrified him. Did he only have a certain limited amount of energy? What would happen if he used it all up?

Kuro pulled his knees up to his chest and squeezed his eyes shut against the dark.

He wanted to go home.

But where was home? Not Earth, certainly. He’d never actually been there before, and it had never really felt like home to Shiro either. At least until Keith had entered his life.

Technically, Kuro’s home was that hidden Galra base where he was created. Grown in a test tube with stolen DNA, memories ripped unwillingly from someone else and given to Kuro as if he had the right to them. As if he could actually pretend to be human.

No, that base wasn’t home. It was just the place he’d destroyed when he-

‘ _You’re my brother. I love you._ ’

Kuro’s hands tightened around his knees.

Kuro was just one clone out of thousands. How many before him had failed? How many had known what they were?

How many cared?

In the end, he was just a spare.

“Kuro?”

Kuro didn’t realize he was crying until his head snapped up at the voice and his tears splashed against his hand. He frantically wiped his face clear as he managed a tremulous smile for Shiro. “Ah, sorry. Bad timing.” He mumbled, trying not to sniffle too loudly.

Shiro regarded him silently, a thousand emotions flashed across his eyes too quickly for Kuro to decipher.

Could he tell what Kuro was thinking? Technically they were one right now, though Kuro was fairly certain he couldn’t tell Shiro’s exact thoughts. Just the general feeling of things, occasionally, like when he couldn’t sleep.

Shiro knelt beside him, dark eyes sweeping over the black landscape. After a moment, a small white fire started to spark into life in front of them. Kuro could even feel the heat from it, seeping into his chilled skin. Shiro looked over at him, a pleased smile on his face.

“I guess I can do it too.” He grinned.

“Well, this is your mind.” Kuro rasped. “The possibilities are endless.”

Shiro’s smile turned somber as he gazed into the flames. They sat in companionable silence for a while, watching it flicker and twist in a hypnotic display.

“I never did get a chance to thank you.” Shiro said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Kuro looked over at him, confused. “For what?”

Shiro paused. “Everything.” He said quietly, turning to give Kuro an intense look.

“W-what?”

“I know you did everything you could to stop her. You fought her every day.”

Kuro swallowed. It felt like something had lodged itself in his throat, clogging up his airways. His heart stuttered an anxious beat in his chest.

He remembered. Pain. Constant pain searing through his skull like a burning hot poker, stabbing through his brain relentlessly. He could hardly sleep. He couldn’t concentrate. Sometimes he couldn’t remember what he’d been doing, large chunks of time trickling through his fingers like sand. Thoughts that didn’t seem to belong to him became more frequent, more urgent, forcing him to do things that weren’t like him at all.

Snapping at Lance just to make the pain _stop_.

Flying Black into the midst of a large group of enemy Galra.

Protecting Lotor. Always. Protect. Protect. Protect.

Kuro tore his gaze away from Shiro’s. “It was a losing battle.”

“Some battles are impossible to win.”

A haunted look swept briefly across Shiro’s face, like a dark cloud blocking out the sun.

The arena. Kuro remembered that too. The clawing, aching, _desperate_ need tearing through his stomach leaving him weak. Defenceless. They wouldn’t give him food unless he killed. Would he trade in his remaining scraps of humanity for a chance to live?

Shiro was nothing if not a survivor.

Kuro couldn’t hold that against Shiro. For some reason it was harder to apply that logic to his own history.

It didn’t make the betrayal any easier, but their unspoken, mutual understanding took some of the weight off Kuro’s shoulders. Shiro believed in him. It was enough. “I’m sorry.” Shiro said slowly, brows furrowed.

Kuro frowned, flabbergasted.

Shiro stared at the flames some more and Kuro waited, giving him time to gather his thoughts. Eventually, Shiro turned back to him, eyes bright.

“You worked so hard for them. You _saved_ them.” He choked, voice rough. “You were everything I hoped to be. A true paladin. And I-“

“Shiro-“

“I couldn’t save you.” His voice was so broken, as if he’d swallowed a handful of razors. “I couldn’t save you.”

Strong arms wrap around Kuro's shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace. Hesitantly, he returned it, sliding his arms around Shiro’s waist.

“Shiro, this body is yours.”

“ _No_ ,” Shiro said emphatically, shaking his head. Kuro could feel his hair tickle the side of his neck. “It was yours and I took it. I’m sorry. _I’m sorry_.”

Kuro’s body trembled, and he tightened his grip on the back of Shiro’s shirt. “You were just taking back what was stolen from you. Fair’s fair.” He whispered.

Shiro’s body stiffened. “It’s not. I’m going to fix it.” He said with resolve. “I’ll bring you back.”

Kuro’s heart trilled a beat. He wanted that. He wanted it _so_ badly. He couldn’t stand this darkness, couldn’t stand the loud silence pressing against his eardrums, building in pressure until he thought his head would explode. He-

He wanted-

Kuro broke down, letting the tears trail down his cheeks. His entire body wracked with sobs as Shiro held on to him. “I want to go home.”

Shiro’s lips brushed against his neck. “You’ll come back to us. I promise.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

“Keith.”

Keith was sitting with Krolia in his tent, working on a large tablet. The Altean tents, like many Altean things, was ten times better than any Earth tent. It was basically a small cabin made of thick canvas that could be erected and taken down with just the push of a few buttons. Shiro wasn’t sure what they were looking at. Maybe the Blade of Marmora had sent some new intel.

Keith looked up when Shiro entered.

“Shiro,” He smiled softly, gesturing him in further. Krolia took one look at Shiro’s face and turned to Keith.

“I’ll check in with Coran then.” She said, giving Shiro a nod as she took her leave.

Shiro nodded back, more sharply than he intended. He moved closer to Keith, hesitating for a moment before sitting down with jerky movements. This was going to be an awkward conversation and he wasn’t sure how to begin.

Keith waited in silence. He’d always been so good about that. Just as comfortable with silence than most people were with talking.

“I…have a question.” Shiro started slowly, gripping his pants with his only hand to hide his nervous shaking. He hadn’t yet gotten his new arm though he knew Pidge, Hunk and Matt were working on it. Much to his frustration, they wouldn’t let him see it.

He was pretty sure they were putting a flamethrower in it.

Shiro’s attempt to hide didn’t fool Keith for a second. He leaned in closer to Shiro, giving him an imploring look. “You can ask me anything.”

Shiro took a deep breath. “Do you know if the Blade knows how to make a clone?”

Keith froze. “Shiro, what’s this about?”

“Please, Keith, I need to know.”

For a moment it looked like he was going to question him further, but eventually he leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t think so, but Kolivan would never have told me everything. They might have something, but I doubt he would share it.”

Shiro’s shoulders slumped. It was a long shot, especially considering how taboo cloning could be. The Blade of Marmora were great allies, but they had a lot of secrets.

Shiro sighed. Another dead end.

Keith looked at him before putting his hand on Shiro’s shoulder. “What’s going on?”

Well, it was now or never.

“My…clone is still here.” He said sheepishly, pointing to his head.

Keith sat up sharply, eyes wide. “He’s trying to take over?”

Shiro backpedaled quickly. “No, no, he just…Allura sort of…uploaded me over him. He’s just trapped there. I-“ He paused, knowing he must sound crazy, even after all the strange things space had thrown at them. “I’m trying to free him.”

Keith contemplated him, face serious.

Shiro looked down at his hand. A hand that didn’t belong to him. “I took this body from him.” He said quietly, clenching his fist.

Keith’s hand tightened on his shoulder.

“The least I could do is return the favour.”

Keith stood up before kneeling in front of Shiro, resting his hands on his knees. He looked up at Shiro’s face. His eyes sparked with such intense determination, Shiro was momentarily breathless. “Shiro, we need to tell the others about this. Just to make sure that he really is there.”

Shiro snorted. Leave it to Keith to bluntly tell him he needed to confirm he wasn’t crazy.

“No, listen.” Keith’s voice was forceful, like he was on the apex of a life saving mission and he had no room for error. “I believe you. But some of the others will require confirmation. Once that’s done, if we pool all of our resources, we have a better chance of finding a solution.”

Shiro knew that but going to others for help was always difficult for him. He swallowed.

“We _will_ save him, just like we do all the other victims of this war.”

Pride swelled deep in Shiro’s chest. Keith had grown up so much. It really didn’t feel like all that long ago that Shiro was staring at a dirt-smeared kid angry at a world that had treated him with nothing but disdain. A kid that couldn’t even muster the enthusiasm to help himself anymore, let alone other people. Keith had given up.

Now he was saving not just the world, but the entirety of _space_. He was making friends, meeting new people and even connecting with his long-lost mother.

Believing in someone, _caring_ about them made all the difference.

And now, Keith was repaying Shiro’s belief in him tenfold.  He wrapped his arm around Keith in a hug, smiling softly into dark hair as the younger man returned it just as fiercely, arms tight around his waist.

A weight Shiro hadn’t even known was there lifted from his shoulders.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

“You’ve got a new arm.”

Shiro looked up from where his head rested in Kuro’s lap. “I did,” he said.

They were sitting in a field of white grass, fluffy clouds floating past them leisurely. White birds fluttered across the black sky while the rustle of leaves echoed on the wind even though none were in sight.

Kuro took in the arm. It was white and had a sleek, sophisticated Altean design. However, there were definitely touches that just screamed Pidge, Hunk and even Matt. It was an arm made with love. Love for the man using it.

Shiro lifted his arm so Kuro could get a closer look. He entwined his fingers with Shiro’s. The hand was smooth and almost felt like human skin. It whirred almost inaudibly. Shiro looked so happy to have it, staring at it fondly as Kuro inspected it.

Kuro’s breath caught in his throat.

“Beautiful.” He didn’t know if he was talking about the arm or Shiro’s smile.

“I’m pretty sure Matt put something in it to prank me. I can’t relax until it goes off.”

Kuro laughed, heart light. “I wouldn’t trust it either.”

Shiro’s grin sobered. “Well, we have learned not to trust our right arms.” He said slowly, eyes flicking to Kuro’s Galra arm.

Kuro’s own smile faded. “I don’t know why I still have it in this place. I lost it when I-“ He cut himself off. He didn’t want to talk about that.

Shiro considered him for a moment before an impish grin settled on his face. “Well, we have all the power here. Let’s fix it.”

Kuro blinked. “What?”

Shiro sat up, leaving Kuro’s legs cold. He spun around on his butt so he was facing Kuro, shifting into a cross-legged position. “How about this?”

Kuro felt a tingling sensation in his right arm. He looked down to see he had a sleek arm to match Shiro’s, except it was covered in rainbow stripes. A burst of startled laughter escaped Kuro. “I don’t think this is very inconspicuous.”

Shiro chuckled. “You’re probably right. How about this?”

Again, Kuro’s arm shimmered before turning into a stick figure arm. He looked up at Shiro, unimpressed.

“I’m sorry,” Shiro struggled to say in between laughter. “I am not very good at drawing.”

“Yeah?” Kuro’s grin was all teeth. “What about this?”

Kuro watched as Shiro took in the small baby arm sticking out of his broad torso. Amusement welled up in his chest as Shiro keeled over sideways he was laughing so hard. Kuro couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed like that.

It was nice.

He gave Shiro a mock-pout. “No?”

Shiro wiped a tear from his eye. “Not unless you do your other arm too. Then you’d be like a t-rex.”

Kuro sighed. “You’re a difficult man to please.” He paused, giving Shiro a smug side-look. “How about tentacles?” He asked as his arm changed to a writhing limb.

Shiro blushed right to the tips of his ears. It was adorable.

“Oh? This seems to work for you.”

Shiro sent him a mock-glare.

“Fine, fine. We won’t discuss your shameful secret.”

“It’s your secret too!” Shiro groaned, face getting even redder.

They took turns turning Kuro’s arm into various ridiculous appendages. A crab arm, a cat’s paw, a machine gun. Several times they broke down, laughing so hard that Kuro’s stomach muscles began to ache with the strain. He flopped down into the grass as his arm returned to normal. Shiro leaned over him, the white clouds framing his face.

“I like you just the way you are.” He said softly. There was a vulnerable tilt to his smile that sent electricity thrumming through Kuro’s veins.

Kuro beamed up at him. He lifted his arm to poke Shiro on the nose. “I’m made with only the best ingredients.”

A smile blossomed brilliantly on Shiro’s face, lighting up the surrounding darkness.

Kuro felt like he was falling.

And he never wanted it to stop.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

“Everyone get to your lions!” Allura’s voice rang through the night, startling Shiro awake from another restful sleep with Kuro. The other man appeared in his dreams every night and Shiro always woke up feeling refreshed.

He hadn’t been this well-rested in a very long time.

He was up and out of his sleeping bag immediately, donning his armour at a record pace. He looked up in time to catch Hunk hopping on one foot trying to get his shin guards on. Shiro stepped over, steadying him enough so he could do up the straps. Hunk gave him a grateful smile.

“What’s going on?” Pidge asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes. She had most of her armour on already, but she was looking around for her helmet.

“The Olkari reached out to us to advise of a large battalion of Galra heading for a planet nearby. We must offer our aid!” Allura replied, slipping her own helmet onto her head.

A jolt of panic seared through Shiro’s heart. Keith had taken a small ship with Krolia and Romelle to gather more supplies. He wasn’t there to pilot Black. This would be Shiro’s first time piloting the Black lion since he’d fought Zarkon all that time ago.

The last time he piloted her, he died.

Shiro could feel his fingers trembling as the others finished gathering their equipment. He followed them in a daze, racing towards Black as a feeling of dread slowly crept up on him. His chest was tight, and the armour was suddenly too warm. Too constricting.

What if…what if it happened again?

Shiro watched the others disappear through the trees towards their lions. This planet was absolutely covered in large, red trees. There were very few open spaces for them to land the lions, so they were all split up throughout the forest.

Black’s mouth was already open and waiting as Shiro crashed into the clearing, yellow eyes alight with a warm glow. Shiro was panting heavily and he knew it wasn’t due to the short run to his lion. He stuttered to a stop just outside of her mouth, heart hammering a terrified beat in his chest.

_Black’s wings spread brilliantly, so beautiful that even in the middle of battle Shiro couldn’t help but admire them for a moment. His connection with her was stronger than it had ever been, thrumming through his veins like molten lava, burning him with power. This was it, this was the kind of strength he could use to save the universe, to save Earth._

_They charged as one, a mesh of lion claws and a human soul thrumming with_ life _._

_Then Shiro awoke in darkness._

_Trapped._

_Alone._

_Dead._

_A ghost in his own lion._

Shiro fell to his knees, gasping for breath as he clutched at his white hair. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t pilot her again. He was terrified of going back. He couldn’t do that yet again. He couldn’t-

“Shiro,” Kuro’s voice was calm and warm.

Shiro felt a hand settle gently on his cheek. Looking up, he could see Kuro kneeling in front of him. He looked so real. He certainly _felt_ real. Shiro reached out, letting his trembling fingers curl in Kuro’s shirt. His breath stuttered painfully in his chest as his heart continued to pound, pumping anxiety through his body.

_Not again. Not again. Not again._

“H-how?”

“Shh, shh. I’m here. _We’re_ here.” Kuro said softly, pulling Shiro towards him in a warm embrace.

Black rumbled in his head, the feeling of fur brushing up against his back like a gentle breeze. Reassurance washed through him.

Safe. He was safe.

“We’ve got you.” Kuro said, helping him to his feet. He entwined his fingers with Shiro’s.

Stepping back into Black was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do. Even with Kuro’s hand in his and Black’s affection encasing him like a cloak, his entire body trembled a warning.

“They’re waiting for you.” Kuro murmured.

Kuro was right.

In the end it didn’t matter.

He couldn’t let his team down.

He stepped into the cockpit, taking a few deep breaths as he strapped himself into the pilot’s seat. Kuro hovered behind him, a soothing presence.

“Let’s go.” Shiro said and Black roared in approval.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Kuro watched as Shiro swerved expertly away from a cannon blast. He hardly seemed to need to move the controls, twisting and turning on instinct. His time trapped in Black had obviously increased their bond. They moved as one, a single, powerful being thrumming with authority.

“Watch out, Pidge!” Shiro called out just in time for Pidge to dodge a kamikaze Galra ship that had attempted to crash into her. She blasted it with her vines, crushing it until it exploded.

“There’s too many of them!” Lance called out, gritting his teeth as he was hit by some debris when Allura and Blue froze a group of ships.

“I gotcha, buddy!” Hunk called out, smashing Yellow into the frozen ships and shattering them to pieces.

Shiro soared up above the chaos. “We need to form Voltron!”

Without pause, the others lined up beside him, spiralling together as the familiar pull tugged on Kuro’s consciousness. He could feel it through Shiro, connecting them all together. There was nothing quite like the feeling of unity when they formed Voltron.

A stab of pain slashed through his heart.

He’d probably never get to do that again.

It didn’t take long to decimate the army of Galra ships. As Voltron tore through the last remnants, Kuro could feel the others. Lance’s sharp focus. Allura’s determination. Hunk’s protection. Pidge’s calculating mind. Shiro’s-

Shiro?

Where?

Black trilled in alarm, the feeling so powerful Kuro’s vision went dark.

What was happening?

As his vision returned he could see the exploding Galra ships, bright flashes of light in the dark cosmos. Debris floated around them, so sluggishly it was like they were moving in slow motion. Voltron drifted aimlessly, unable to move. Frozen.

Kuro could just barely feel the panic from the others, frantic calls of Shiro’s name echoing from the coms.

Shiro was slumped in the pilot’s chair, eyes closed and muscles slack. Kuro moved towards him as Black continued to roar in distress. He couldn’t feel anything around him. Couldn’t feel the console as he rested his hand on it, couldn’t feel the armrest as he gripped it. He was a ghost, visible only to Shiro.

He reached out for Shiro’s cheek. As his fingers grazed the soft skin (he could feel it, he could feel Shiro), his vision blacked out again.

“Kuro!” Shiro’s voice was terrified.

Kuro’s eyes snapped open to the inky black landscape of Shiro’s mind. His current home.

“Shiro!” He called out desperately, whirling in place as he tried to find where the voice was coming from.

There! In the distance shone a dim light.

He ran towards it, panic spurring him on faster and faster. Black was still beside herself in fright, the sensation of claws scraped gently along his back in a wordless plea to _hurry_.

As he neared the light, he could see Shiro. He was scrabbling at the ground in desperation as his body sunk deeper and deeper into nothingness. Already he was waist deep. As Kuro watched in horror, black tendrils crept further up his torso.

He was being swallowed up by the darkness.

“Shiro!” He gasped, skidding to a stop beside him and grabbing his hand in a firm grip.

“Kuro, please!” Shiro choked, looking up at him with terrified eyes. “I can’t-“

“I’ve got you!” Kuro pulled with all his strength. Shiro lifted slightly out of the darkness but quickly sank back down, further than he was before.

Black keened, a warning and an apology all at once.

Was he getting sucked back into Black?

“Black, stop it!” He yelled.

A feeling of helplessness washed over him like a bucket of ice water. Black couldn’t stop it. She couldn’t-

Shiro was in past his chest now, the pull so strong he was dragging Kuro with him.

“ _Please_ ,” Shiro whispered, voice cracking and shaking apart. “I _can’t_ go back.”

Kuro planted his feet as best he could, pulling with everything he had in him. He cried out with the strain, but it was a game of tug-o-war he would never win. His heart beat a frantic rhythm in his chest, trying to break through his ribs as adrenaline seared through his veins. The black swirled around Shiro’s neck, forcing him to tilt his head back like it was water threatening to choke him.

“Kuro-“ Shiro cut off as inky waters seeped into his mouth, suffocating him.

The last thing Kuro could see was Shiro’s petrified eyes before the shadows consumed him, leaving Kuro in darkness.

“SHIRO!”

Kuro blinked.

In front of him, debris continued to float slowly past Black’s screen, sometimes bumping into each other before leisurely drifting apart.

He could hear the other’s desperate calls through the coms.

Kuro looked down.

He was back in his real body.

No. _No_. Nononono, Shiro he-

Shiro was gone.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

“Shiro, buddy, what happened?” Lance asked as they all exited their lions.

“You were kinda out of it for a moment there.” Hunk agreed, squinting at him.

Kuro looked around at them all, taking in their worried faces. How was he supposed to tell them? How could he take the time to explain this when all he wanted to do was find Shiro? “I…”

“You’re back!” Keith’s voice called out and everyone turned to see him, Krolia and Romelle waving to them. “How did it go?”

There was an awkward silence.

“Well, it went fine…up until a point.” Pidge said slowly, taking off her glasses to wipe them on Hunk’s shirt.

Keith shot Kuro a questioning look and his heart sank. Steeling himself, he squared his shoulders. “I…I’m not Shiro.”

There was a tense silence.

“I’m…Kuro.”

Chaos erupted.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Shiro awoke to a familiar darkness.

He looked up from his position on the ground, watching the purple tendrils swirl and mix with black in a kaleidoscope of shapes. The realization sunk deep into his bones and left him shaking.

He was back.

An overwhelming tidal wave of _remorse_ confusion _remorse_ washed over him, knocking the breath out of his lungs.

“It’s not your fault, Black.”

He willed himself not to panic. His friends had saved him once before, was it so wrong to think they could do it again?

He took a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic beating of his heart. In for three, out for seven. In for three, out for seven.

It wasn’t helping.

A warm breeze of _comfort_ swept over him, settling around him like a cocoon. Black was there. At least he wasn’t completely alone.

“Kuro…” He whispered, letting his eyes fall closed.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

“Okay, but this is so weird! You’re Shiro but you’re not? Like, there are smaller differences here and there and I’m kind of kicking myself for not noticing before.” Hunk said, shifting around Kuro as he sat on a makeshift medical table. Allura had her hand pressed up to his forehead, eyes closed in concentration.

“Does he look taller to you?” Lance pondered, hand on his chin as he stared at Kuro.

“He’s in Shiro’s body…or, his own body?” Pidge frowned. “This is confusing.”

“Y’all gotta stop switching bodies.” Matt said with a fake Southern accent.

Allura’s eyes opened as she stopped glowing. “There’s no sign of Haggar there. Or Shiro.”

Kuro had to stop himself from growling in frustration. “I told you, I think he’s back in Black.”

“But why?” Keith asked, hovering over Kuro protectively. It was a nice feeling, considering what happened the last time they were together.

“I think the increased connection when using Voltron somehow pulled him back in?” Kuro said slowly, uncertain.

“That’s only part of the problem, I’m afraid.” Allura sighed. “The issue is that a body can only hold one soul.”

Kuro’s heart stopped as his ears filled with static.

“When Black and Shiro connected with Voltron, their bond was at its peak. Voltron couldn’t handle the extra soul. Considering how close Shiro’s bond is with Black, it was probably easier to take Shiro once more as opposed to you, Kuro.” Allura continued, hugging her waist with one arm and putting her other hand on her chin. “He’s back in Black only because of that connection, but he can’t keep going back and forth like this. It’s dangerous.”

“What do we do, then? We can’t leave Shiro in there again.” Keith demanded, brows creased.

 Kuro stepped forward. “We give him back what rightfully belongs to him.”

The others stared at him.

“Sh-Kuro,” Allura hesitated, eyes bright. “Your bond with Black isn’t strong enough. If I put Shiro back in your body you…you won’t survive.”

Kuro swallowed around the lump in his throat.

He’d already been given a life that wasn’t his. He was never meant to exist. He had been crafted as a weapon to hurt others. He’d lived the entirety of his short life under the control of someone else.

Now he was free.

Now he had a choice.

Haggar could do nothing but watch as her creation was used to strengthen her enemies instead of weakening them.

His choice was Shiro, always.

“Do it.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

“Shiro.”

Shiro jolted up from his position on the ground, eyes wide.

“Kuro?” He whispered, taking in the form of his friend. He was up and moving before he even realized it, tugging the other man into a tight embrace. “I thought- what are you doing here?”

Kuro’s hands gripped the back of his shirt. “I’m here to bring you back.” He said softly, breath tickling Shiro’s ear.

Shiro pulled back, brows crinkling. “How?”

Kuro looked away, biting his bottom lip. “Same as before.”

Shiro frowned. No, no, he couldn’t do that again. That was _Kuro’s_ body. Shiro couldn’t take that from him yet again, especially knowing he would be trapped in the void of Shiro’s mind once more.

“No,” He shook his head, taking a few steps back. “I won’t.”

Even as he said it, it hurt. He thought he’d come to accept his own death when he was in Galra captivity. Back then, he had no idea which day would be his last. After awhile, he’d stopped caring.

Then he’d escaped. He’d found a family. A purpose.

Then he died.

He’d spent so long in Black pondering death and what his unintentional prison meant for him. It had been harder that time, knowing he was leaving behind more people he cared deeply about. Leaving Keith behind, again.

He was getting very good at breaking promises.

 He wasn’t going to break another one.

“I told you I would bring you back. You’re back.” His smile felt brittle. “It’s up to you now to keep them safe.”

Kuro was silent for a moment, watching a particularly aggressive purple swirl cut through the inky blackness. Finally, he turned back to Shiro, eyes bright. “Shiro, I’m here to save _you_ and-“ he paused, taking a deep breath. “And to say goodbye.”

Shiro froze.

“Your body can’t handle two of us. That’s why I kept feeling weaker and why you got sucked back into Black the moment your connection was strong enough. My connection to her isn’t so strong, I’m afraid.” He took a step closer to Shiro, reaching towards him. “Takashi, this body should be yours.”

Shiro could only shake his head.

The thought of losing Kuro was too much. He’d grown accustomed to spending every night with this man, watching him smile, watching him _laugh_. Being there for each other, because they _knew_ , they knew what it was like, how memories could eat at your mind until-

He couldn’t lose him. Not now.

Not when the thought of him gone was like hitting a brick wall at full speed.

A pink light blossomed a few feet away, hovering in the air with a welcoming glow.

Shiro flinched as Kuro’s hand gripped his bicep. Slowly, he turned to his clone, letting his eyes say what he couldn’t quite put into words.

Kuro’s smile trembled.

“Don’t make me do this.” Shiro whispered, voice cracking.

Kuro closed his eyes, leaning forward to place a gentle kiss on Shiro’s forehead.

“Go. Be great.”

Before Shiro could really comprehend those words, Kuro shoved him towards the light.

“KURO!”

Black roared.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Shiro opened his eyes to see the other paladins hovering over him anxiously. He blinked up at them.

“Shiro, welcome back.” Allura smiled, looking like she’d just run a marathon.

Shiro opened his mouth to say something, _anything_ , but instead all that came out was a choked off gasp. Hot tears trickled down the side of his face, pooling into his hair.

It was like he’d lost another limb.

Kuro was gone. Shiro hadn’t even noticed how much he relied on his reassuring presence until it disappeared.

He was empty.

The others closed in around him, offering comfort as another sob tore through his throat.

It wasn’t the same.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

_2 Months Later_

“Dearest sister of mine.”

“What do you want, Matt?”

“Why, pray tell, are my rebel colleagues informing me that there are reports of Space Shiros floating around?”

“W-what?” Shiro stuttered, eyes wide.

“There are, apparently, a ton of Shiros inside capsules floating around open space and being collected by the Galra. Hence, Space Shiros.”

“Shit,” Keith murmured, giving Shiro a pained look. “I thought they’d all been destroyed when we-“ He cut himself off, clenching his fists.

“I’m going to collect them all and have a Shiro Harem.”

“Matt!” Pidge groaned, looking over at Shiro but he didn’t even notice.

“Well, I mean, I’m not saying no to that.” Lance cut in. “I wouldn’t mind a Shiro harem.”

“It would certainly be useful.” Hunk agreed.

“Right?” Matt grinned.

Shiro wasn’t listening.

They were out there. More clones.

The moment it sank in, Black roared in his head, a kaleidoscope of images flashing through his brain in a millisecond. Kuro smiling. Kuro kissing his forehead. _Go. Be Great._ Black grasping at Kuro’s soul with the sheer force of Shiro’s desperation.

 _Apology_ remorse _apology_ crashed into him with the might of a whirlwind.

Kuro. 

She hadn’t wanted to tell him that she’d saved Kuro. It was a temporary measure. The hold would only last for a short time. She’d thought to keep it secret in case-

In case time ran out and he was lost for good.

Shiro’s head snapped up.

“Thank you, Matt. I owe you one.” Shiro said, turning on his heel and running towards Black.

“I’ll just put it towards my tab!” Matt called out after him.

“Shiro, wait!” Keith yelled.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Nothing would stop Shiro from saving him.

Nothing.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Kuro opened his eyes.

At first, everything was blurry. He blinked several times to clear up his vision.

Above him, he could just make out a cloth ceiling, light poking through in a few places. He could hear wind gusting outside, causing the fabric to ripple slightly.

Where was he?

“You’re awake.”

Kuro looked over to see Shiro sitting next to him. It took him a moment to realize he was laying in a cot of some kind in what must be Shiro’s tent. What? How?

Shiro’s smile was so _warm_. He grabbed Kuro’s left hand in his, squeezing it gently. “A promise is a promise.”

It took a moment for his words to really sink into Kuro’s groggy brain. He’d promised to save him, to bring him back. He-

Kuro looked down at his body. He was here, in the flesh. His legs were covered by a fuzzy blanket, the colour so blindingly orange he had to squint a bit. He could feel it against his skin, soft and warm.

He was alive.

He looked back over at Shiro, eyes wide. He had so much he needed to say. So much he wanted to ask. The words jumbled together in his haste, a traffic jam of letters sticking in his throat and preventing him from speaking.

Shiro seemed nervous at his silence. “Sorry it took as long as it did.” He muttered, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. “We took the liberty of giving you a new arm too.” He said slowly, nodding to Kuro’s right arm.

Kuro’s stomach fluttered like a drunken butterfly as he took in his arm. It was similar to Shiro’s, a sleek Altean design in black instead of white. However, covering the entire arm were little doodles in varying colours. It was like the arm was covered in a sleeve tattoo. There was a robot drawing in green, courtesy of Pidge. Hunk had drawn what Kuro thought might be a dog…or maybe an ostrich? It was hard to tell. Lance had covered the arm in blue stars. Elaborate pink flowers were dotted here and there. Allura, probably. Keith, by far the best artist of the group, had drawn Voltron in red. Coran had added swirly designs in silver and Matt had doodled stick figure paladins in orange.

But what made his heart stop were the kanji written in a neat, white scrawl: Love. Courage. Family.

Kuro’s head snapped up to Shiro as he gripped the garish blanket so tightly he was afraid he would rip it.

Shiro’s smile shone brighter than the sun. He could feel it shoot through his entire body, warming him from the inside.

“Welcome back.”

Tears welled up in Kuro’s eyes, blinding him. Knowing the others had forgiven him. Knowing they accepted him for who he was, a person, not a traitor, not a monster, just…Kuro. It meant the world. It meant the universe.

It meant everything.

Shiro stood up. “The others will want to see y-“

“Wait,” Kuro choked, wiping the tears from his eyes. He didn’t want to be crying for this.

Shiro paused, turning back to him as Kuro carefully got out of the bed. His legs shook under his weight. He could tell he would probably be confined to a bed for the foreseeable future.

Regardless, he reached out to Shiro with his new arm, relishing the feel of warm skin beneath his fingertips as he cupped his face. He could clearly make out the kanji symbol for ‘love’ from this angle.

Love.

He knew the feeling.

Shiro twitched under his touch, eyes bright but hesitant. Daring to hope.

Kuro couldn’t say who leaned in first, only that his eyes fluttered closed and soft lips pressed against his. They stayed like that for a few seconds, minutes, hours. Kuro couldn’t tell around his racing heart. Eventually, they leaned back just enough to see each other. Shiro was smiling softly, looking like Kuro had just handed him the universe wrapped up in a silver bow.

Kuro knew that feeling, too.

“Really?” Shiro asked, pressing his forehead against Kuro’s. His breath tickled against his tingling lips.

Kuro’s reply was another kiss, more insistent than the gentle one before it. Shiro’s fingers tightened on his waist as Kuro carded his fingers through white strands.

They’d saved each other so many times, Kuro had lost count.

He would go to the ends of the universe for this man. Knowing Shiro would do the same for him was a drug he would happily get addicted to.

“I love you.”

 

Beautiful fanart by [skydarko](https://skydarko.tumblr.com/)!!

**Author's Note:**

> I want them to be happy. T.T
> 
> Please feel free to talk to me about Voltron on [Tumblr](http://eilera-chan.tumblr.com/). :)


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